Tagging mails in Gmail!
I keep receiving lots of mails, and each time I have to search for a particular mail, I have to use the Gmail’s search functionality using search parameters to filter unwanted results.
I wanted to search a particular mail that I have received from a client. Since there were several mails from him which were threaded by Gmail because of the same subject, it became difficult for me to identify it. This is where I missed “tagging” feature the most.
“Labels” can form the outer layer for mails whereas “Tags” can act as a sublayer thereby narrowing your search results. The users can then get to see all the TAGS associated with that particular label and easily search the mails they want.
Incorporating the “tagging” functionality will not only improve the overall interaction of searching the mails in Gmail, but will also help in quickly identifying the mail from the bunch.
Update:
Interestingly, Glattli has come up with a unique way of tagging your mails using del.icio.us. You can view the complete screencast at his website.
Though this is a temporary solution, I hope gmail does incorporate the “tagging” feature permanently in its future releases.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Hey cool idea Aadesh..
But wouldn’t it be a better idea if the existing label functionality can be expanded to be used as a tag too?
This will take care of visual excise or else there is always a chance of having so many tags and labels that it may simply cause a visual clutter. What say?
August 21st, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Thats a nice idea Aditya…
Tags as such are void of hierarchies. Should there be hierarchy to filter down the search results?
August 26th, 2008 at 9:51 am
When gmail introduced Lables in place of folders it really lost one very usefull functionality that normal mail applications provided.
I wonder how tagging will improve search, in the light of the fact that it will end up with an additional task.
But overall tagging will add to the options a user has! and users will find even more amazing ways of productively emailing!
August 26th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Rohan, when we exchange mails with clients, we just use the same subject line, and in gmail, the mails get threaded.
Within those mails, there might me one or two mails that might contain some important information.
While looking for such mails, we normally search view all the mails from that client. This can be cumbersome.
This is where I feel TAGS can play an important note…. You can just tag that mail from the client. so when you click on the LABEL for that client, it will display all the tags related to that LABEL.
It’s just a quick way of finding important mails.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Hmm good idea.But we have done some basis research and found out words “Tags, tagging” doesnt communicate much to Indian users, i guess thats the reason labels didnt work. So, guess it might work well in US and UK. BTW, Aadesh it will be awesome if you can see work, why people add tags, and at what limits.
- label
–sublevel tags, wont be too much to remember?
August 26th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Sandesh, on the tagging research! – I think the probable reason is effort. A user is more likely to go in for Instant gratification in personal apps rather than for long term. The more instant the rewards the more likely a user is going to do a task
August 26th, 2008 at 10:42 am
I agree with you Sandy. No need for sub-level tags, Use it as Universal tags.
As for the Indian users not relating with TAGS, Tagging, well, I feel that it might still take some time for the average user to get used to TAGS. but for the techie users, they will be well versed with it as most of them might have used either “Google Reader” or del.icio.us.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Rohan,its not the effort, its the understanding the concept, and later the effort. so at first instance it should be clear what does tag means and what is it meant for, and than the effort required to execute the task.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:45 pm
looking forward for more information about this. thanks for sharing. Eugene
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and thanks for sharing!
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